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The two most likely options in my view:

1. The M1 Pro/Max Mini is ready. Apple didn't want to launch a cheaper device with the same specs alongside the MPB launch. They will do a silent launch of the Mac Mini in the next few weeks.

2. It will not come until the Spring 2022 event.

I am inclined to favour the 2nd option at this stage.
 
The two most likely options in my view:

1. The M1 Pro/Max Mini is ready. Apple didn't want to launch a cheaper device with the same specs alongside the MPB launch. They will do a silent launch of the Mac Mini in the next few weeks.

2. It will not come until the Spring 2022 event.

I am inclined to favour the 2nd option at this stage.
I hope you're correct regarding option 1 :)
 
There is definitely a gap in the product line currently occupied by the top end Intel version of the mini, so it is highly likely that Apple will want to replace that with M1 Pro/Max models.

I can see LeeW’s #1 suggestion that Apple didn’t want the Mini to distract attention and divert sales from the MBP. If that is the reason it was not included, we might see them release it by press release before the end of the year.

If they really are struggling with the supply chain to have enough components for the MBPs, they could have decided to shift the Mini to a spring release (possibly with the larger iMac) when they might have better supply of components. The margin is probably higher on the MBPs and they would want to make sure they could sell as many of those as possible, even if the Mini has to wait.
 
I am not so sure a Mini Pro will be released at all. They might keep the mini for the lowest end of chips and put the M1 Pro and Max in the lower tier of the "pro" desktops instead. That way they could charge a lot more for them, since you would pay for the "pro" model and whatever other pro feature that would have, instead of the cheap Mini where any price hike would be harder to do.
 
I hope you're correct regarding option 1 :)
Apple’s not going to do a silent anything when it comes to the new chips. There will probably be a spring event for the Mini Pro; that’s assuming Apple is going to release a Mac Pro in addition to the Mini Pro but not instead of. Maybe Apple will rebrand it as the Mac Pro Air. LOL
 
Will we see a Mac mini with M1 Pro/Max?

I'd buy one now!
Precisely why it wasn't announced this month. They want you and everyone else to say f it and buy a MacBook Pro for 50% more.

It will come out in a few months when the initial sales of MBP are done.
 
The two most likely options in my view:

1. The M1 Pro/Max Mini is ready. Apple didn't want to launch a cheaper device with the same specs alongside the MPB launch. They will do a silent launch of the Mac Mini in the next few weeks.

2. It will not come until the Spring 2022 event.

I am inclined to favour the 2nd option at this stage.
Both points are correct.
 
When it comes to the Mini, never forget that Apple has described it as a product that was "also in our lineup." It's an afterthought to them, and I think that holds true today just as much as it did two years ago. So will we see an M1 Pro/Max? No. We might see a Pro/Max class processor some day, but it might not be until the M3 or M4.
 
When it comes to the Mini, never forget that Apple has described it as a product that was "also in our lineup." It's an afterthought to them, and I think that holds true today just as much as it did two years ago. So will we see an M1 Pro/Max? No. We might see a Pro/Max class processor some day, but it might not be until the M3 or M4.
Sure, but the Mini was also a computer which the M1 premiered on despite being much cheaper than the laptops.
 
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The two most likely options in my view:

1. The M1 Pro/Max Mini is ready. Apple didn't want to launch a cheaper device with the same specs alongside the MPB launch. They will do a silent launch of the Mac Mini in the next few weeks.

2. It will not come until the Spring 2022 event.
I’m more inclined to think:

3. Chip shortages and supply constraints forced apple to focus on the MBP over the less popular products going into the holiday season

I firmly believe the high-end Mac mini and large iMac are going to be announced together. Current rumors suggest a new large iMac in Q1 of 2022. So this furthers my assumption that Apple is just trying to get through the holiday season before releasing anything else.
 
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I am not so sure a Mini Pro will be released at all. They might keep the mini for the lowest end of chips and put the M1 Pro and Max in the lower tier of the "pro" desktops instead. That way they could charge a lot more for them, since you would pay for the "pro" model and whatever other pro feature that would have, instead of the cheap Mini where any price hike would be harder to do.
Are you aware that a maxed out Mac mini costs $2,999 today?
 
1. The M1 Pro/Max Mini is ready. Apple didn't want to launch a cheaper device with the same specs alongside the MPB launch. They will do a silent launch of the Mac Mini in the next few weeks.
I hope you're right, but given my luck, nah. :) My credit card has an itch only a new machine can scratch.
 
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Next year feels like iMac/Mini M1 Pro/Max in Spring, MBA/MB with M2 in the Fall.

Maybe we'll also see some kind of processor bump for MBP at the Fall Event.

I'm thinking if there was no COVID or supply chain issues, we'd be seeing a yearly M-chip update.
 
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I am not so sure a Mini Pro will be released at all. They might keep the mini for the lowest end of chips and put the M1 Pro and Max in the lower tier of the "pro" desktops instead. That way they could charge a lot more for them, since you would pay for the "pro" model and whatever other pro feature that would have, instead of the cheap Mini where any price hike would be harder to do.
Yeah. It's possible that instead of a Mac Mini with the M1 Pro and Max, they will instead come out with that rumored Apple Silicon "Mac Pro Cube" using one of those chips. If that's the case, I'll still buy a Mac Pro Cube to replace my 2012 quad-core i7 Mini.
 
One of these would be perfect for me to consolidate mm2018 and hack into one machine.

Can wait for it however would be nice to see sooner rather then later.
 
One of these would be perfect for me to consolidate mm2018 and hack into one machine.

Can wait for it however would be nice to see sooner rather then later.
 
The two most likely options in my view:

1. The M1 Pro/Max Mini is ready. Apple didn't want to launch a cheaper device with the same specs alongside the MPB launch. They will do a silent launch of the Mac Mini in the next few weeks.

2. It will not come until the Spring 2022 event.

I am inclined to favour the 2nd option at this stage.
1. Likely to occur if COVID-19 did not impact the chip supply chain.

2. Likely to occur because of the COVID-19 impacted the chip supply chain.

The Mac mini M1 uses the same 150W PSU as the Intel Mac mini even when the M1 at most uses 39W.

Top-end 16" M1 Max has a 140W charger.

The question now is how much will these SKUs cost?
 
In the US the maxed-out Mini 16/2TB costs 1799 USD, but since it’s a desktop you could easily save money by choosing a smaller internal drive and just connect an external drive to it. So if you don’t need 10GB Ethernet, the 16/256 costs 899USD or the 16/512 costs 1099USD.
My maxed out intel mini was closer to the $3000 mark... (more RAM and 2TB SSD)
 
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